


Deserve What You Get

by camichats



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Eavesdropping, F/M, Fluff, Friends With Benefits, Getting Together, Hook-Up, Jealousy, Light Angst, M/M, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 14:14:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20797940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/camichats/pseuds/camichats
Summary: Both Sirius and Lily want James, but they know that they’re not good enough for him. Some time together though... that’s not a bad idea.





	Deserve What You Get

It was a regular Saturday after the war ended, which meant that there was another party to celebrate everyone that was still alive and kicking. For Sirius, this meant sulking in a corner with a drink in his hand as he watched James flirt with yet another random arse person. (And okay, Fabian wasn't really _ random_, but he didn't understand why James insisted on throwing himself at a different person every single week.) 

Lily came up next to him this time, a beer in her hand and a look on her face that said she wasn't having a good time either. 

"How's it going Lily?" Sirius asked. 

"Fine." 

"Yeah you always say that when you're drinking beer. Didn't you call it 'the weak grain piss of alcoholic beverages'?" 

Lily snorted, leaning her head back against the wall. "Yeah, and it tastes like shit." 

"Then why are you doing it?" 

"I don't think you're in a position to judge me for my brand of masochism." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

She gestured with her beer towards James and the way he was currently beaming at Fabian like he was the best person alive. What an arse-- although, yes, Fabian was pretty awesome, but still he wasn't exactly James's type now was he? 

Sirius glanced at her, wondering if he should deny it. Want was as clear in her face as it was in his own though, so he just shrugged. "I'm not good enough for him and I know it." He paused, then added, "You're not either." 

"I know. I had my chance back at Hogwarts and I didn't take it." 

"He was kinda an arse back then," Sirius said, in the interest of fairness. 

"Course he was, but you still loved him." 

"What can I say, as long as it's him, I don't care." Hell, Sirius hardly knew what attraction to another person felt like. Lily, for example, was bloody gorgeous, and he had some sort of interest in her, but bugger if he knew what to call it. 

Lily hummed. "So how long've you been pining?" 

"Longer than you," he said, and that's all the information he was going to give on the subject. 

"Well yeah," she said, but she didn't pry further. Either she knew that Sirius wasn't going to talk about it any more, or she didn't actually care to find out. She took a pull from her beer and pulled a face. 

Sirius snatched it from her hand, ignoring her protests. "If you're going to engage in self-destruction, why don't you pick something a little more fun, hm?" 

"Is that an offer?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Well it wasn't, but it could be if you were interested." 

"I vote we go back to your place and see if it's any fun." 

"Why not yours?" Sirius wasn't exactly thrilled to bring home a hook-up in the flat he and James shared; it just seemed wrong. Not that Lily was only a 'hook-up', but still, it felt weird. 

Lily wrinkled her nose. "Marlene and Dorcas are having a 'romantic date night', which basically means they'll be shagging on the couch. I don't know about you, but I don't want to have to walk past that." 

"Mine it is." 

* * *

Because Lily was a friend, she stayed the night afterwards. It didn't feel awkward or summat, but Sirius did sort of forget that James would be there in the morning. Unless James did end up going home with Fabian, but considering his poor success rate, it wasn't likely. Lily had kinda forgotten about that too. 

She was in the kitchen trying to start a pot of coffee for them. The grounds were easy to find, but the filters were acting like they had a vanishing spell on them. "Sirius," she called, "where do you keep the bloody coffee filters?" 

"Lily?" asked a voice that was very definitely _ not _ Sirius. 

She jumped, banging her head against the cupboard door. "Ow," she said, holding a hand to the spot as she winced. 

James was staring at her, looking absolutely dumbstruck. "What are you doing here?" 

"Er. Nothing?" she tried. 

That was the moment that Sirius showed up. "Hey Lily, I found your- er, morning James," he said, hiding her bra behind his back. She hadn't been able to find it earlier, but it's not like she was running out the door, so she hadn't bothered to look very hard before going to the kitchen. 

James was looking between the two of them, mouth open in shock. "Are you- what the- when the _ fuck _ did you start dating?" he said eventually, shouting the question at Sirius accusingly. 

"Erm." Sirius shifted his weight uneasily, and Lily piped up. 

"It's not really dating. It's er, more like we had sex last night and we don't know if it's going to happen again." 

"Do you want it to?" James asked, and it didn't seem like either answer would make him happy. 

Lily and Sirius shared a look because they hadn't thought this far ahead, and they sure as hell hadn't talked about it yet. 

"I dunno," Sirius said. "It's not like you're still hung up on her or that she's an ex. I- well James, I thought it'd be okay. Like, why would it matter to you, y'know?" 

There was a long moment, then James smiled at him sheepishly. "Right, sorry." He glanced at Lily, then back to Sirius. "Just surprised, yeah? It's not like you've ever brought someone home before. Sorry," he said again, this time directing it at Lily. "I'll just, er- get out of your hair then." He beat a quick retreat, leaving both of them frowning after him. 

"That was weird," Lily said. 

Sirius nodded in agreement. "Very. Though he did ask a good question. Are we doing this again?" 

"I mean," Lily shrugged, "I had a good time. Seemed like you did too." 

"I did. Oh, filters are above the fridge, I'll grab them." He moved boxes of cereal aside to open the cabinet, then snatched the little bundle. 

"Why do you keep them all the way back there?" 

"I normally only drink it when I'm trying to reach a deadline, and James doesn't drink it at all." 

"Why not?" 

"He says it tastes like dirt." 

"As opposed to the ever so wonderful tea he's so attached to?" 

"I dunno mate, it's just what he says." 

There was quiet as Lily started the coffee. 

"Do we wanna do this again?" Sirius asked. 

She glanced at him, and he shrugged. 

"We both said that we had fun, and it's not like the other shite is going anywhere. Might as well, you know?" 

"Yeah, sounds good. Are we saying every weekend or every other or...? What are we doing?" 

"You could just call me when you get horny." 

Lily snickered. "Yeah Sirius? You want to be my booty call?" 

"I've done worse," he said with a smirk. 

"Oh don't worry, I remember." 

* * *

He and Lily had been doing... whatever it is they were doing, for about a month now. After that first, weird morning, James had been fine. At least that's what Sirius thought until he got home early from a business lunch to find Remus and James talking. He didn't see them, rather he heard them talking from James's room, and he decided not to announce his presence loudly when he heard his name mentioned. 

Assuming that it was going to be an embarrassing story about him, he crept closer to eavesdrop-- though if he was found, he was going to claim that it didn't count as eavesdropping if it was happening in his home. 

"I thought it was a one time thing," James was saying miserably. "Or a two time thing? I dunno, but I never thought it would turn into an actual relationship." 

"What does it matter?" Remus asked gently. "You said you were over Sirius before we graduated." 

A jolt went through Sirius. Over him? Why would _ he _ be the one that James was over? Shouldn't they be talking about Lily? And what the hell did he mean graduation? That would mean that James had liked him at Hogwarts, when they'd been joined at the hip and never went _ anywhere _ without the other. 

James sighed. "I know, I just- I guess I wasn't as over him as I thought. Or Lily for that matter." Sirius couldn't see him, but he knew that James was running a hand through his hair. 

"Prongs, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but they're happy together. I never thought that I'd see Lily with someone she actually liked, and Sirius..." 

When the silence went on too long, James prompted, "What about Sirius?" 

"Well," Remus said uncomfortably, "I never thought he'd get over you." 

"What?" 

"James, Sirius has been in love with you for as long as we've all been friends." 

"Why didn't you say something!" 

"I'm not in charge of your love life, James," he said in a hard voice, and there was a barely audible 'sorry'. Remus's voice went back to normal. "Listen, I thought you had a crush and that you'd be over it in a couple months. I was wrong obviously, but I didn't want for Sirius to end up heartbroken. He's... he's finally moved on. Please. Don't tell him now and ruin everything." 

"But he-" 

"No, James. He's happy. You had your chance, and it's too late. For both him, and Lily. Just let them be together, and after a while, you'll get over it." 

There was a long pause, and James muttered, "Yeah, I guess. Thanks for talking some sense into me Moony." 

"Now there's the full time job I've been looking for," he joked. "You can always talk to me Prongs. Any time you want, I'm here for you." 

Sirius was having trouble breathing. He didn't remember making the decision to go see Lily, but one moment he was in his flat, and the next he was on her doorstep. 

She opened the door a little later, surprised to see him. "Sirius? What are you doing here?" 

"I erm." He licked his lips. "Think we made a few assumptions about James." 

Lily looked at him for a moment, then stepped aside to let him through. "Come in, I'll put the kettle on." 

* * *

"This isn't going to go well," Sirius murmured, unlocking the door so he and Lily could enter. 

"Would you stop saying that? Even if James turns us down, it'll be fine." 

"What am I turning you down for?" James asked guilelessly, looking up from his book. 

"Well I was hoping you'd hear us out before saying no," Lily said. 

"Okaaaay. What is it?" 

Lily looked to Sirius to start talking since that's what they had agreed to. "We er, I mean, Lily and I, we were wondering if you wanted to date us. Like, all three of us as a couple instead of just the two of us." 

James blinked once, twice. "You're serious?" 

They both nodded. 

"Oh. Erm, I guess-" he started to say, then stopped. "You're not taking the piss?" 

"I don't think that would be very funny," Lily said. 

"Okay. Erm. If you're sure...?" 

"We are," Sirius said. 

"Then er, yeah. That sounds good." 

* * *

A few weeks of dating and they had a big fight when James admitted that he thought this was a phase for them. A couple months after that got smoothed over, Lily moved in with them. 

The alarm went off and Sirius slammed a hand on the top to shut it up. 

Lily groaned, smushing her face against James's chest. 

"Aw, c'mon Lils, we have to get up," James said, scratching his fingers against her scalp. 

"You're too chipper," Sirius mumbled. 

Lily rolled over to hide against Sirius's chest since James was too awake. Her hair got wrapped around her face, and she bat it away impatiently. 

James got up, stretched his arms above him with a satisfied noise, then looked at his partners. His beautiful, loving partners, that didn't look like they planned on getting up any time soon despite promising him that they wouldn't be late to breakfast with Peter and Remus this time. He ambled towards the kitchen to start coffee, knowing that the scent would get Lily up, and once they were both out of bed, Sirius would follow. 

It would still take them a while to fully wake up, but it would take even longer for them to realise that James had set the alarm for earlier than usual just to be sure they would be on time. Whatever, they deserved it.


End file.
